


Color

by titaniumsansa



Series: Shakarian Soulmate AUs [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Romantic Soulmates, Shakarian - Freeform, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-12 23:59:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10502184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniumsansa/pseuds/titaniumsansa
Summary: AU where you see in black and white until you meet your soulmate. Shakarian. Could be longer if anyone is interested.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably the first ship I've written for that isn't just strongly hinted at or isn't a rarepair. This is a canon pairing. Wow. Hope I write them well, I'm not quite done getting through Mass Effect or Mass Effect 2.

“Saren is hiding something, I just need more time,” the turian says and the other scoffs.

“You don’t get more time. Your investigation is over, Garrus,” the other turian says and walks away. The one called Garrus turns to face her and there’s a brief pain in her eyes so she blinks and she realizes he’s staring at her too. Color. She can see everything in color, from the brightness of his tattoos to her armor and the color of the lights.

“Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian, I was in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren. Good luck with the Council,” he says lightly, she’s aware that Kaidan and Ashley are behind her and the Council’s probably waiting. Out of all the scenarios she’s thought up she never thought she’d find her soulmate like this, certainly not here. Shepard didn’t exactly expect an alien or a turian, the first Contact War is still fresh in older minds. What color are his tattoos? She needs to learn the names of colors later, much later. Colors have been to described to her a million times but that meant little when it was all black, white or grey.

“I should go, but I might need to talk to you later,” Shepard says and puts emphasis where it needs to be, she doesn’t have a lot of experience with turians but hopefully-

“I’ll be around,” Garrus says and she nods quickly, they need to see the Council. It’s a little harder to focus after that, she can tell he’s moving around by the colors dimming. She’s glad he didn’t mention their status in front of Kaidan and Ashley, it’s not that she doesn’t trust him, it’s just that this is private.

* * *

 

Shepard doesn’t have much time, she knows she should seek him out, he might as well have said _Garrus Vakarian, your soulmate_. Turns out they’re on the same page when they visit Doctor Michel, which is lucky. Despite not saying very much, she learns a few things as they take down the thugs, and as he shoots the one holding the doctor. He’s a damn good shot, but she needs to remind him that was a big risk, the doctor could have been hurt. There’s a job to do, dealing with Garrus as her soulmate moves lower on her to do list as the doctor mentions a quarian. Since Garrus already wants to take down Saren, she figures it’s fine to invite him to join her squad, help is help. Not to mention he’s her soulmate and when she can find time, they’ll need to talk.

* * *

 

He knows Commander isn’t her first name, but she’s fascinating to watch. Within a few hours she has a turian, a krogan and a quarian in her squad along with two humans. Shepard can talk to anyone and has a presence that pulls people to her, regardless of their race or hers. He knows the names of the colors around them, he’s partial to blue, even when it was just a shade of gray to him. Shepard seems fond of black and red, Tali is in purple, he wonders if she’s been staring at things trying to remember what the colors looked like in grey. Even when she becomes the first human Spectre, she still goes by Commander Shepard.

There’s a lot to learn about her, but he has a feeling there’s going to be a large chunk of time between this and actually finding Saren. They’ll talk about their status, eventually.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might add more for Mass Effect 3, unsure at the moment.

He’s heard the pain was intense, has had intense pain before, but he drops to the floor and wants to take his eyes out when he feels it.

“Vakarian!” He hears shouts but the pain is intense, he’s had the colors dim from being away from her, from one of them being injured. He blinks and sees in black and white. Not faded colors, no color.

“My soulmate is dead,” he grounds out and closes his eyes tightly.

* * *

 

Garrus doesn’t get a second soulmate, he knows because when the colors come back, they’re weak and he’s staring at a wall. He stays on Omega and waits, the colors are too dim for him to tell where Shepard is, if it’s Shepard and he’s not going crazy after all. The colors get stronger over time, but it’s not like she’s getting closer, like she’s getting better. He’s not sure if it’s reassuring or not.

* * *

 

She’s with two others, but he shoots a stray merc before he sets his gun down. Shepard hugs him tightly like she’s trying to crush his armor. The migraine that’s been just painful enough to be annoying since she’s been back is gone, their proximity is easy for their eyes.

“I thought you were dead,” he murmurs, words full of grief.

“I was. Cerberus brought me back. I’ll explain later, all of it. Right now we need to get through those gangs and get the hell off Omega,” Shepard says before she lets go. He lets go, there will be time to talk. Everything’s fine until Garrus starts bleeding blue on the floor making choking noises that are burning themselves into her brain as the colors begin to fade.

“You are not fucking dying on me. You hear me Garrus? You’re not going to die, you’re gonna make it to medbay and then Chakwas will fix you. Garrus, don’t close your eyes. Garrus!” Shepard says and the anger turns to panic as she speaks, he keeps blurring eyes on her until they close without his permission.

* * *

 

He knows Shepard’s next to him by the colors, but she’s sitting as close as possible and her head’s partially against his good leg. Garrus takes inventory of his injuries, he’s not completely good to go and Shepard will be able to tell. He shifts slightly and Shepard wakes up, alert and looking at him.

“Chakwas let me in as soon as she was done, I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but you were sedated and I guess I did,” Shepard says.

“Probably not getting enough sleep. You look a little rough,” Garrus notes and Shepard pretends to be offended.

“That’s what you say after you finally see your soulmate back from the dead, your soulmate who just saved your ass? That’s what every girl wants to hear,” Shepard jokes and he laughs, even though it hurts like hell.

“Don’t make me laugh, my face can’t take it,” Garrus says and she bites her lip.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Shepard begins but he won’t let her finish.

“You’re fine. Speaking of fine, tell me how you’re here. You were dead. I felt it, thought I was going to take my eyes out to stop the pain,” Garrus says and she looks at him with wide eyes that are becoming shiny.

“Shit, I didn’t mean to-” Garrus tries to apologize but she doesn’t let him finish.

“Cerberus brought me back. Or cloned me or something. I’m here because of them. I’m just worried they didn’t really bring me back. What if I’m not really me? And I’m not here because I like them, but no one else is willing to talk about what’s out there. I’m glad to have you here. I can’t do this by myself,” Shepard admits.

“Shepard. I’d know if you weren’t you. You smell the same, you sound the same, I’d ask you to move your face to mine to see if you kiss the same, but my face is a little messed up. Only  _ you _ would have given me the colors back. Not a clone, not a fake.  You’re the woman I love and you’re you’re you. Cerberus can’t replicate you in a lab, no matter how much they try. No one can,” Garrus promises and she kisses the good side of his face. There’ll be more, later when he’s not in medbay, a proper reunion, a real talk about what the hell happened and what the fuck they’re going to do. Until then, they’re gonna stay in medbay and wait for Chakwas to tell them how long it’ll be until he’s fine.


End file.
